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Australia

Cute and cuddly koalas and bouncing kangaroos scream Australia, but this geographically diverse country has mountains, forests, vast deserts and over 21,000 miles of coastline to entertain. The ultra-modern capital of Sydney with kid-friendly activities and beaches and the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef are must-sees for a family vacation in Australia. If you’re looking for off-the-beaten-path adventure, road tripping families rent camper-vans and trek across the outback to visit Ayers Rock and learn about aboriginal history. Domestic airline carriers connect out of Sydney International Airport (SYD) for travel to the Great Barrier Reef and beyond.

Family hotels in Australia range from beach bungalows to high rise modern chains with amenities for all ages.

Just steps from Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, the Mandalay Beachfront Apartments are perfect for traveling families with full kitchens and in-unit laundry facilities. Kids and parents can spread out in these spacious accommodations with private balconies set in beautiful tropical gardens. Shared amenities include tennis courts, swimming pools, and outdoor BBQs for guest…

Wonderfully located on the waterfront right on The Marina in Cairns, the launching point for trips to the Great Barrier Reef, the Shangri-La Hotel is the perfect base for exploring the sea and city. All guests enjoy complimentary Internet access and all rooms have private balconies or terraces with water, garden or city views. Guest…

CB Editorial

Australia is a vast and beautiful country. In two weeks you can see a lot, but you won’t have time to see it all. With everything that Australia has to offer (and not knowing if you’ll ever make it back because it’s so far away), creating the right itinerary for your family can be daunting.…

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is an Australian icon. I, however, hadn’t ever prioritized it as a place to visit, even while living in Sydney. Was it not just a big rock? While planning our trip to Australia, I asked my family where they would like to visit in addition to Sydney and…

Many families traveling Down Under have just a few days in Sydney, as they are hoping to take in as much of Australia as possible during their stay. After living in Sydney for nearly nine years, and returning frequently since, I’m often asked to suggest an itinerary for friends who are planning to visit with…

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Australia? If a koala or kangaroo popped into your mind, you’re not alone. When planning a family vacation to Australia, the to-do list isn’t finished until it highlights Australia’s wild side.

Fact is, there are so many critters that call Tropical North Queensland home, you could spend your entire Australia holiday meeting and learning about them all.

I don’t subscribe to the “wait until they’re old enough to appreciate it” travel philosophy. Sure the kids won’t remember everything, but it’s not just about them. My memory’s still pretty good. That said, I understand picking and choosing destinations.

A family holiday in Australia’s been on my bucket list for a long time, and I’ll admit I’ve been waiting until my girls were old enough to scuba dive. Learn from my mistake. I could and should have taken a trip to the Great Barrier Reef with kids years ago.

Some of you may remember, at the start of the New Year, Ciao Bambino put together our 2012 bucket list. It’s an impressive list that highlights phenomenal destinations to travel with kids like Dubai and Greece. This summer I was lucky enough to visit one of the destinations on my list – Australia! But I won’t check it off the list, because I’m going back and taking the whole family with me. I just got back from Queensland and the list of things to do with kids is amazing …

In an age of kids’ clubs and summer camps it’s become the norm to have your children charmed away by nannies, nurtured in a corner of a resort well out of ear-shot. Small wonder playground parents wince when I let slip my plan to spend two weeks on a driving tour around Southern Australia. They linger on doubts about lengthy flights, searing temperatures and creepy crawlies a-go-go.

Of course Australia is huge and deciding where to head can be a complicated affair. Compelled to at least scratch …

Sydney is a truly enjoyable place to visit. From the sweeping views of the famous harbor with the iconic Opera House on show to the many great restaurants, a long list of fun family activities and—my favorite—varied and excellent beaches.

Bondi Beach: Our morning at Bondi Beach was the high point of the trip for my boys. Bondi can get very busy on the weekends, so we planned to have our surfing lessons with …

Two long-haul flights, two short-haul flights, and one beautiful ferry ride finally got us to Heron Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The first thing I noticed was the unmistakeable smell of birds—thousands and thousands of them—within seconds my ears caught up to my nose and I was hit by the din of what I later learned was a staggering 70,000 birds!

Heron Island is a sanctuary for the Black Noddy (not the Heron as you might think).